Real
by PushRightThrough
Summary: "Why does she want to quit? I thought she liked me. I thought she wanted to kiss me." / "Not like this. She wanted it to be real."
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! This one-shot is based on a scene from Catching Fire and the episode Karate Games. I hope you guys like it! Although, I have to admit, it's quite sad.**

**Disclaimer~ I do not own Kickin' It or the book Catching Fire. **

* * *

Jack lay back in his bed, his unblinking eyes never leaving the ceiling. He was currently in the the hotel room he was sharing with Rudy. Filming began tomorrow, and to say he was nervous was an understatement. Mainly because the oh-so-great director had decided that the first scene they were going to film was the kissing scene.

He knew Kim liked him, and he definitely had some feelings for her. He just wasn't so sure of himself. Maybe he really liked her, or even loved her. Maybe all he was feeling was mutual friendship, or even brotherly feelings.

_I'm giving myself a headache, _he thought. He was just getting caught up in circles.

Jack finally got up. He needed to talk to Kim about this. Just tell her...what was he going to tell her? That he knew she liked him, but wasn't sure if he liked her? That the kiss would mean nothing, no matter how much that would hurt her? That it would all be professional? He strode over to the door anyway, deciding to wing it, and let her bring it up. Kim should be in her room right now, but as he opened the door, he discovered she was right outside, poised to knock.

"Kim?" he asked. Forget winging it, he wasn't ready for this.

"Jack?" Kim said. "Can we talk? I mean, in private?"

"Yeah, come in," Jack said, moving aside to let her in. He shut the door behind her. "Rudy is in the shower, so he won't be able to hear a thing."

"That's good," she replied quietly.

They both sat down on Jack's bed, cross-legged and facing each other. A comfortable yet awkward silence covered the air like a blanket. Finally, Jack cleared his throat.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Jack said, searching her eyes.

"The kiss," she said simply, as if it were nothing but just a glass of water. But they both knew it was bigger than that.

"Oh."

"I'm not sure what to make of it," she admitted.

"Well, let's start with our own feelings," Jack said. "More specifically, our feelings for each other."

"Okay," Kim said, cocking her head to one side. "How do you feel about me?"

"I love you," Jack replied. It was the truth. "I'm just not sure if I love you as a friend or something more, though. I'm just too confused."

"Are you lying?" Kim asked. When Jack shook his head no, Kim sighed. "That means I'm going to have to tell you the truth. It would only be fair. I love you, too. But I'm not confused. I know I love you as more than a friend. I would take anything the world throws at me for you. I would take anything _you_ throw at me, if it would make you happy."

There was another silence, except it lasted for minutes this time.

"Are you still confused?" Kim whispered, despite the fact that no one else was there to hear them.

"More than ever," he whispered back.

"We don't have to go through with this," Kim said. "I can tell Dolph that I don't want to do it, and he can assign you a new girl."

It was obvious that she was hurt. She had just admitted her feelings for him, and he hadn't given any reaction. And now she was willing to let go of stardom, and let Jack kiss another girl if he really didn't feel that way about her.

"No," he said, firmly. "Kim, I won't let you quit. You obviously want this, and besides, it won't feel right if I do it with anyone besides you."

"Jack," she said, her voice raising. "This isn't just about what I want. This is also about us! I don't care about the fame anymore. All I care about is you! And I'm willing to quit!"

"Is this about the kiss?" Jack said, quietly.

"Figure it out, Brewer," Kim snapped before leaving.

As she walked out the door, he could do nothing but watch. He could hear a sniffle as the door closed shut, and his heart ached.

He fell back on his back, and he felt a tear roll down his cheek. Jack Brewer didn't cry. Unless it was about something he really cared about. Last time he cried was when he found out his dad had died while on the field in Afghanistan. That was years ago. And the stupid medal that was given to his family, it could never replace his dad.

Just like nothing could replace Kim.

"Jack," he heard.

Jack shot up, and saw Rudy standing at the foot of his bed. He had completely forgotten that Rudy was still in the hotel room, just taking a shower in the bathroom. Had he...?

"I heard everything," Rudy said. Yep, Rudy had heard.

"I messed up really badly," Jack said somberly.

"Yeah, you did." There was no point in denying it. They both knew it. The damage was done.

"Why does she want to quit?" Jack said. That was just one of the questions buzzing through his head. "I thought she liked me. I thought she wanted to kiss me."

"Not like this," Rudy said. "She wanted it to be real."

Of course she did. Why hadn't it struck Jack before. If they were going to kiss, she would want it to be special...no, real. Who cares about special, anyway? As long as it's real.

"Thanks, Rudy," Jack said, getting up from his bed. "I should probably go talk to her."

"You do that," Rudy said, reclining on his own bed. "Go get her tiger."

Jack smiled. He would.

After all, the confusion was gone. He did love her as more than just a friend. It was real.

* * *

**A/N: So, what do you people think? And could you tell where I had slipped in the Catching Fire moment?**

**Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys! So, I decided to add another chapter. This is because I asked my friends to read this, and one of them said it sounded like Mockingjay more than Catching Fire. When I asked her why, she told me because of the ending, before the sequel. And I went back to reread it, and I went all 'Wow! I should post another chapter with****_ this_****!' Anyway, this isn't as sad as the last chapter. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer~ I do not own Kickin' It or the book Mockingjay.**

* * *

Jack knocked on the door to her room. No answer. He tried calling her name.

"Kim?"

A small sniffle was heard, and a bit of a choking sound.

"Kim?" he called again, hoping for a bit more of a response.

"Go away!" she yelled, her voice cracked and broken.

Despite the circumstances, Jack couldn't help but smile. The sound of her voice was just too...appealing. Even when cracked and broken. It was like bells, or a wind chime in the wind. Light, breezy, beautiful, and perfect.

Shaking his head, he turned back to the matter at hand. He had to get inside.

"You don't even know who it is," he stated.

"Oh, okay then," she says, sarcasm dripping in every word. "Who is it?"

"Jack," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh," she said, still with her fake sweetness. Then her tone returned to normal. "Then, GO AWAY!"

Jack sighed. So now he _had _to do it the hard way.

He backed up a little, focusing on the area beneath the doorknob. If he wanted to get the door open on the first kick, that would be the best place to hit. He was about to bring is foot up when the door burst open, revealing a wore down Kim.

"Kim?" he says, shocked that her stubbornness hadn't gotten in the way of opening the door. "Why did you-?"

He never got a chance to finish because Kim gave a weak laugh. But it wasn't the fact that it was weak that made Jack's heart break. But the fact that it sounded so...fake.

"I knew you would try to kick the door down," she said, gesturing to his still fixed poise.

Jack quickly stood up straight, and looked down at the ground. When he left the room he was sharing with Rudy, he had so many thoughts buzzing in his head. He had come hoping that the thoughts would somehow form into a coherent sentence. But instead, he decided a rant might be better. Actually, he didn't decide. You couldn't choose with love. It just happens.

"Listen," he started, stopping Kim from saying whatever she was about to say. "Don't interrupt, just let me talk. I do love you. And you know that I love you, because I said so before. I just didn't tell you how I loved you. I didn't tell you because I didn't know. At least I thought I didn't know. But it was always there, on the back of my mind. I hated every guy who looked at you. I hated every guy that you looked at. And I always summed it up to the fact that is was protective, brotherly feelings. At least, I tried to. Because I was scared. I was scared that you wouldn't like me back, or we would break up. But mostly, I was scared of losing you. I don't want to lose you because I-I love you. As more than a friend. I...need you. You're like air to me. I don't know how I could breathe before I met you. I...I...I..."

Jack stopped talking, out of breath. There wasn't a sound, as their eyes bore into each other's soul. Kim blinked a few times, and then looked down to the ground, breaking their eye contact.

"You better come inside," she finally said.

She entered her room, leaving Jack to follow. He closed the door behind him, and looked around. It was smaller than the room he was sharing with Rudy, but it still had the same basic layout. Her suitcase was open on the foot of her bed, and it seemed like she had been unpacking, as the drawers of the dresser were open, and some of the clothes were out.

"What made you realize?" she asked. "That you love me, I mean."

Jack was at a loss for words. What had made him realize? Seeing her perfect figure in his mind's eye? Thinking about the little things about her that made her the most beautiful thing on this planet? Or was it that he had simply fallen in love with her when he first caught her apple, but he was just in denial until now?

"I...don't know," he said. "All I know is that I love you. That single thought is clouding up all my thoughts. I don't know anything else, and I don't need to. I love you, and that's it."

Kim blinked a few times, then smiled. Her eyes started to tear up, and she lunged forward, giving Jack a hug. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), her force sent them tumbling back on to her bed. But Jack didn't care. He had her in his arms, after all. He reciprocated the hug with a grin, and after a while, Kim slowly pulled away, leaving Jack feeling empty.

"What does this make us?" she asked.

"Whatever you want us to be," Jack says, getting up from the bed as well.

He approached her, not at all tentatively. He put his finger under Kim's chin and tilted her head up slightly.

She looked him in the eye and whispered, "I want us to be this."

With that final word, she leaned up and brushed her lips across his. Jack immediately responded, wrapping his arms around her waist as her arms came up to wrap around his neck. His lips moved in sync with hers, and for that moment, everything was perfect, as their eyelids fluttered shut. There weren't sparks, there were freaking fireworks. There weren't butterflies, there were doves. And nothing else needed to be said.

They both finally pulled away for air (although we're all sure that if it wasn't an absolute necessity, they wouldn't have). Jack leaned down and pressed his forehead against her's, and closed his eyes.

"I've waited so long just for that," he says, whispering.

"I...still don't know if this is a dream or not. How can I even be sure?" Kim whispered back. "I just...you love me. Real or not real?"

He tells her, "Real."

* * *

**A/N: So, you likey? By the way, that was the first kiss scene I ever wrote so please no flames on that!**

**Other than that, please review!**


End file.
